The Agency Certification of Reassignment and Accommodation Efforts and FERS

The most innocuous yet important document when applying for your FERS Disability Retirement is Form S 3112D: the Agency Certification of Reassignment and Accommodation Efforts.

This document (along with the SF 3112B and SF 3112E) is usually completed by your agency, and one of a trio of forms that need to be filled out before you could claim your benefits. The other documents are the SF 211C, which is provided by your doctor, and the SF 2112A, which is your own statement concerning your disability.

To make sure you qualify for you FDR benefits, you need to make sure all three of these forms are filled out properly and thoroughly.

So what exactly is the SF 3112D, and how does it factor into your disability retirement?

The OPM uses the information they get on Form SF 3112D to figure out if they are able to provide adequate accommodations on the claims you made. The SF 3112D contains the stats on you and your disability to determine this. The SF 3112D is also used to reassign a disabled employee to a position that could accommodate them. If that is the case, the OPM will deny your retirement and reassign you to a new position.

In order to get the determination you desire, make sure what you put on down on the SF 3112D is consistent with the statements made by your doctor. And make sure you are clear in the severity of your condition and if it means you should not be returning to work.

While your agency is supposed to provide you with a copy of the form once it has been finished, you should still go over it to make sure the information on it is accurate. And if you haven’t received your form from your agency, make sure you request one. You should be able to review all the information before it is sent to OPM and they can determine your case.

Any falsehoods, errors, or inaccuracies could affect your claim for the negative. If you see a mistake, get in touch with your agency right away. If they are not responding timely enough, a union rep or lawyer could help facilitate that.

It should be clear on the SF 3112D whether or not your condition would bar you from reassignment or accommodation. Your doctor’s statement and yours too might be reviewed by your agency before they fill out their SF 3112D, which is why it is so important for you to describe exactly what is going on with you and what it might preclude you from doing. It should be clear in the paperwork that OPM gets if you can be reassigned or not.